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Carr is coming off a magnificent third season, and provided he's healthy after suffering a broken fibula late last season, he should again be in good position to succeed. Carr plays behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, has a cadre of dangerous weapons at his disposal, and should benefit from the increased attention defenses pay to the Raiders' running game due to the presence of Marshawn Lynch.
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Gordon should be the foundation of the Chargers' offense this season, just as he was last year. He's a dual-threat running back that averaged over three catches per game last season, and he's got the opportunity to once again be the bell-cow back on a team that brought in Anthony Lynn -- the architect of the much-improved Bills running game over the last two years -- to be the new coach.
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Allen's 2016 season unfortunately ended in Week 1, when he suffered a torn ACL before the game even reached halftime. He's been electrifying whenever he's been on the field, though, and 2017 should be no different when he again assumes his role as Philip Rivers' No. 1 target in the passing game. So long as he stays healthy, he should more than justify this selection.
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Cooper is a rising star, and the No. 1 target for our All-AFC West quarterback, Derek Carr. There are few players in the league that run better routes than Cooper, who are smoother in and out of their breaks, or who are better at creating separation to give their QB a window to throw. (One of those few is probably Keenan Allen, and he's on this team, too.) Year 3 should be even better for Cooper, who improved on his excellent rookie campaign by refining his skill and dropping fewer passes.
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The third receiver spot was a tough call, with candidates like Michael Crabtree, Emmanuel Sanders and Tyreek Hill (more on him later) not quite making the cut. Instead, Thomas gets the nod due to the consistency of his production regardless of who is under center for the Broncos. Whether it's been Tim Tebow or Peyton Manning or Brock Osweiler or Trevor Siemian, Thomas just puts up numbers week after week and year after year. He'll do the same next season.
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Kelce keeps catching more passes, keeps racking up more yards and keeps finding the end zone. He's taken over a larger and larger role in the Kansas City offense with each successive season, and at 27 years old, he's headed into what should be the prime of his career. An argument could be made for Antonio Gates, Hunter Henry or Jared Cook at this spot, but Gates is getting up there in age, Henry will have his workload stunted by the presence of Gates, and Cook has been far too inconsistent during his career to date.
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Get ready to see a bunch of Raiders on this offensive line. The group is led by Penn, who has been a marvelous free-agent signing for the Raiders despite the fact that he's the guy that missed the block that led to Carr's injury. He's an above-average left tackle on a sub-market contract, and he was a big part of Carr being one of the best-protected quarterbacks in the league until he suffered that freak injury.
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Osemele was another terrific free-agent signing for the Raiders, as he came in and gave the offensive line a mean streak it was lacking before his arrival. He should play a big role in paving the way for Marshawn Lynch this coming season, as he's one of the best road-grading guards in the NFL. He also raised his game in pass-protection last season, and there's no reason to expect a drop-off in 2017.
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Broncos center Matt Paradis was another option at this spot, but he's coming off double-hip surgery this offseason and while he's expected to be ready for Week 1, Hudson is the safer pick here. He's been -- stop me if you've heard this before -- a very good free-agent signing for the Raiders, coming over from division rival Kansas City to solidify the interior of the offensive line. It took him a few years into his career to become a full-time starter, but he's been one of the better pivots in the league since he ascended into the starting lineup.
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Oh, another Raider. Jackson, unlike his line-mates, was actually drafted by the Raiders back in 2014. Oakland just gave him a well-deserved contract extension to make him the third highest-paid guard in the league. Heading into his age-26 season, he should be even better in 2017 than he has been over the last few years.
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Barksdale is another late-bloomer, as he did not become a starter until his third year in the league, back when he played for the St. Louis Rams. The Chargers signed him a couple years ago and he's been a very steady part of a frequently-injured offense.
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Mack is a flat-out stud, and if he's not the single best pass-rusher in football right now, it's only because another guy on this list still exists. He's racked up 26 sacks over the last two seasons in his hybrid end/linebacker role, and he's just about as good against the run as he is against the pass. He should continue terrorizing opposing tackles throughout the 2017 season, and there was no debate at all about cementing his spot on this team.
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The Chiefs lost Dontari Poe this offseason, but they felt comfortable letting him go because they'd already signed Logan to a deal. The stout interior defender has been working up the middle for the Eagles over the last few seasons, and he should fit beautifully into Kansas City's defense. Every defense needs a top run stuffer, and this guy is it.
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We cheated a bit here, turning the "defensive tackle" position into "defensive interior" so we could sneak Wolfe onto the roster. More unsung (and lower paid) than his former defensive line-mate Malik Jackson, he looked like the more impactful player last season after Jackson took his talents to Jacksonville. Wolfe is a two-way force on the defensive line, picking up 22.5 sacks during his five years in the league while working as one of the top run-stuffers among 3-4 defensive ends.
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Bosa may not have played the entire 2016 season, but he made the most of his time on the field. Bosa is as technically sound as they come and he gets after it relentlessly. He was one of the most efficient pass-rushers in the NFL on a per-snap basis, and there's every reason to expect him to pick up right where he left off. That means another monster season in Year 2.
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Miller is practically unstoppable. There's a reason he's been a Pro Bowler during every one of his fully healthy seasons, and a first-team All-Pro each of the last two years. He is absolutely terrifying when he's screaming around the edge, and at 28 years old, he's right in the middle of his prime. Another huge year is in the offing.
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Ingram got paid this offseason after racking up 18.5 sacks for the Chargers over the last two seasons. Finally healthy, he's blossomed into exactly the player the Chargers thought they were drafting five years ago, and he should benefit immensely from the fact that Bosa is on his team (and vice versa).
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Harris is the best cornerback in football right now. It's not necessarily popular to just come right out and state it, but he is one of very few corners that is truly elite both on the perimeter and in the slot. He is an absolute joy to watch work. Players simply do not get open against him. He's also knocked down a ton of passes and recorded multiple interceptions in five straight seasons.
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If Harris is the best cornerback in the league, Peters has emerged as possibly the position's premier playmaker. He led the league with eight interceptions as a rookie in 2015, then followed it up by picking off six more passes last year. He also forced a fumble in each of those seasons, and recovered three of them in 2016. Two seasons, two Pro Bowls and a first-team All-Pro nod. He's just getting started.
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Aqib Talib obviously received strong consideration for this spot, but Hayward is four years younger, fully healthy and coming off the best season of his career. He's the third-level playmaker this Chargers defense needed to make it to the next level, and with Jason Verrett back healthy, he should have an even better season in 2017.
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Berry coming back from his bout with leukemia to resume his place as one of the handful of best safeties in the NFL has been arguably the single best story of the last two seasons. He absolutely had to get this spot.
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Ward's play dipped slightly last season, but he's still a good two-way safety capable of patrolling intermediate areas of the field against the pass and dropping down into the box against the run. He plays in one of the best secondaries in the league, which helps cover for his liabilities, but he also does the dirty work in that group. He's a solid player.
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Santos was easily the most accurate and prolific kicker in the division last season. He's been in the league for three years and has connected on at least 81 percent of his field goals in each of those seasons, including on 50 percent of his tries beyond 50 yards.
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The most entertaining punter in the NFL also finished second in the league in average punt distance, sixth in net yardage, and fifth in punts downed inside the 20.
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Hill led the NFL in punt return yards, punt return touchdowns, yards per punt return and kick return touchdowns last season. And he was a rookie. He's not just the best return man in the AFC West, but in the whole damn league.
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